"Still got some time to heal,'' he said Monday night, sporting a black walking boot at his third annual charity bowling event for sickle cell awareness. "So I'm out for a while.''

Holmes' loose recovery timetable brings his training camp availability for next season into question. All he knows is he'll be away from the team for a long time.

"I've got another surgery in February, that's all I know,'' he said.

Holmes has remained tucked away in Florida during the past two months, but said he has kept in touch with Rex Ryan via weekly phone calls. Holmes' first trip back to the team facility, however, was last week -- on team picture day.

Holmes said he knew his season was over "the minute I couldn't get off the ground'' after he stumbled awkwardly after catching a pass from Mark Sanchez in a 34-0 home loss to San Francisco on Sept. 30.

"I accepted it once it happened; football season was over,'' he said of the injury. "Started expanding my mind, reading more, spending more time with my kids, my family. Being more supportive as I can be, all around the table.

"Mentally, it kind of brings you down because you can't be active. It's been over 20 years that I've been playing this sport and it's the first time I've suffered a significant injury that I can't play in one particular season.''

"If I get involved with that, I'll be the talk of the world,'' he said with a smile.

He did add that his absence has hindered the other receivers.

"I think that really set the guys back, that they didn't see me around,'' said Holmes, who supports families affected by sickle cell disease through his III & Long foundation.

"They were used to me being there, supporting 'and now Tone's gone.' And nobody hears from him, heard from him. It was one of those things where you just go in a shell and when it's time to come out, it's the right time.''